Isaiah 53:12

‘Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great (or ‘the many'),

And he will divide the spoil with the strong,

Because he has poured out his soul to death,

And was numbered with the transgressors.

Yet he bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.'

And because of what He has achieved He will come alive again and be given the spoils of victory. The intention here is in order to stress that He will now no longer be the humiliated teacher, but the Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6) receiving His ‘portion', His inheritance.

It may be seen as signifying that He will rank among the greatest and most powerful on earth, having His portion divided to Him among the great ones of the earth, and sharing in the spoil of those who are strong and powerful. For the strong only divide their spoils with those whom they see as at least their equals, thus they are seen as acknowledging His right. He will be numbered among the mighty. The point being emphasised is not so much the spoils, as the status now occupied by God's Servant. He will be even greater than Abraham who did not share the spoils lest it denigrate Yahweh (Genesis 14:23).

But the problem with this interpretation, while partly conveying truth, is that in fact the Servant is to be above all (Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 49:7; Isaiah 52:13 compare Isaiah 49:23). He is not just to be one among a number, but the One Who is exalted above all. It is thus difficult to see how He could only receive one portion among a number when Yahweh makes His division. This is confirmed in Psalms 89:27 where He is to be ‘higher than the kings of the earth'. It would seem strange that He should therefore here merely be seen as on an equal level with others, although the purpose might be in order to emphasise that He was numbered among the transgressors. The fact is that if we do interpret along these lines we must probably see it as indicating that He will receive His portion from Yahweh as a result of His triumph which He will then divide among the great and the strong as He chooses, because they are His servants. The stress being seen to be on His newly established greatness, and His overall sovereignty.

Alternately if we translate ‘the many' (as in Isaiah 53:11) then the thought is that He will receive His portion from Yahweh as His anointed, and will share it with ‘the many' whom He has delivered, and He will share His spoils with those made strong by Yahweh (Isaiah 26:4; Isaiah 30:15; Isaiah 35:4; Isaiah 40:29; Isaiah 40:31; Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 45:24; Isaiah 49:5; Isaiah 52:1). Overall this might be seen as fitting the context better.

Either way He will be exalted and lifted high (Isaiah 52:13), calling the strong to Him that He might divide the spoil with them. And this will be because He was willing ‘to pour out His soul to death' and be numbered among the transgressors, that is, among those who have transgressed against God, as He offered Himself for them. It was by being numbered among them that He was able to bear their sin. Had He not humbled Himself to death, He could not have achieved His object. This stresses the representative nature of His death. He dies on behalf of all, from the highest to the lowest. This found a special significance in that He was crucified between the two brigands (Mark 15:28 compare Luke 22:37), stressing His oneness with even the worst of humanity.

Note the emphasis again on the voluntary nature of the sacrifice. ‘He poured out His soul to death.' That is, He laid down His life of Himself (John 10:18). No one took it from Him. It was of His free choice. This is central to the idea of the replacement of the old sacrificial system. Because it is voluntary it is a sacrifice such as no other could be (see the emphasis in Hebrew Isaiah 10:5).

‘Yet He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.' With these words the chapter comes to an end. The Servant has borne the sin of many and makes intercession for those whose sins He has borne. To intercede is to stand between as a Mediator. This is not so much praying for them, as accomplishing the work of the mediator, bringing about the reconciliation. But it does include a kind of prayer. He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him because He makes intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25). So the Servant acts as the Mediator between God and man on the basis of His saving work (1 Timothy 2:5). The way to salvation is open for all through what the Servant has done.